The Brookhaven leader., 1887-06-09
A STATEMENT PROM GEN.
WRIT ADAMS.
rai,or nf,hs Rrnnk haven Leader:

/ Editor oil the broOknhNeh AF"uei'
Absence fruIn home for several
days,. has prevented my earlier at.
,ention TO an editorial in your paper
Of 26th ultimo.
As an act ofjustice TO myself and
others concerned, must request
you to publish the following state
ment showing the correctness. Of the
certificate signed by me, rs Reve.
nue. Agent. in July. 1886, asserting
that all sums due the State from the
Penitcntiary Lessces, up to Dccem-
her LIST, 1884. had been paid.
Mr.. Fairman, in his paper Of July
18th, 1885, had asserted that no
settlement had been made BY tie
Icssees since 1882; and that the
State had sustained heavy losses in
consequence. The Lessers, in a
card we're denying and disproving
Mr.. Fsirmsn's statement. Under
those circumstances. the Superin-
lendent of the Penitcntiary, the
Attorney. General, and the Revenue
Agent. were applied tn, and Furnish
ell the certificates to which you
refer, and the truth Of which you
now so positively deny.
An examination Of the accounts
between the State and Lessees at
that time, showed that Mr.. Fairnan
was mistaken; as a full settlement
had been made in December, 1854,
for the year 1883, one Of the
years included in his article.
This he afterwards frankly
admitted in his paper, and char
gel Mr.. Hines Of the Auditors
ntiiceiwi,h having misled him. Mr..
Hines himself acknowledged the
rror into which he had fallen.
The other years rent embraced in
the controversy, was that for the
wear 1884; and the facts in regard
to that year, were briefly these,
which it will be seen do not differ
from those of any previous year
under the lease. The contract
made by the State with the lessees.
gave the latter the right to pay the
whole amount due the State, in
repairs, improvements and machi
merry. / refer you to the report OF
special committee Of the Senate,
published in March, 1886, citing.
the law as well as the contract, in
confirmation of this statement.
The result of the privilege thus
accorded To the Lessees, was that
the rent for no year became due or
payable until twelve months after the
expiration of the year to which it
wascnarged. This rule or mode OF
settlement was observed, by Govern
ors Stone and Lowry, and was an un.
avoidable necessity resulting from
the con,rsct. Consequently the rent
for 1883 was settled in December,
1884, and the rent for 1884 was not
due until December, 1885.
In proof that this plan Of settle
ment was uniformity observed. ]
quote from the message of the Gov
crnor Of January, 1885. He says:
Under section ! Of an act approx.
ed January, 3lst, 1877, / approved
contracts made by the Superinten.
dent of the Penitentiary for neces-
sary repairs and improvements, u
the amount of $27 ,343 36 This
sum was credited on the lease for
1888, and the balance of $l2,O7S.Gl.
due on the lease for that year, was
"n December 3lst, 1884. paid into
the Treasury. In the year 1885, ap-
proved similar contracts to the
amount of $27, 4l9 AZ. which was
credited on tho lease for 1884, and
the balance Of $1s,l005S, due on
the lease for that year, was on Dec.
cmbcr 10Th, 1885, paid into the
Treasury"
1t will thus he seen. that the
Cover nor's message fully sustains
and verifics the correctness Of the
certificates which you contend are
false.
The certificate asserted that all
amounts due the State up to LIST.
December 1884, had been paid in,
to the Treasury; or IN other words,
that q full settlement had been made
for the rent Of 1883. 1t was not in
tended 10 certify that the amount
charged for 1854 had beed paid, as
We know that following the
plan previously observed, no settle
ment could he made until the close
of the year 1885, and consequently
the rent was not due for nearly six
months after the certificates we've
given.
With this plain statement of the
facts pertaining to the transaction,
which no fair-mined man can qucs-
tion, ! trust you will see fit to recall
the injurious comments to be found
in your paper OF 26,h, May, 1886.
Respectfully,
Writ ADAMS.
Jackson, Miss, June 4th 1887.
IF tho farmers want IN choose and